Five-Run Seventh Sinks Sooners

Oklahoma

No. 17 Arizona State

Line Score
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
OU	0	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	0	4	5	1
ASU	0	0	1	1	0	0	5	0	X	7	15	1

Pitching
	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Baca (1-0)	0.2	0	0	0	0	0
L - Garza (0-1)	2.2	5	4	4	0	2
S - Burr (2)	1.0	1	0	0	0	1

Individual Leaders
	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
ASU - Woodmansee	4	1	3	2	0	0
OU - Neuse	4	1	1	3	0	1
ASU - Sewald	5	1	3	1	0	0

PHOENIX – A five-run bottom of the seventh spoiled an upset bid for the University of Oklahoma baseball team in a 7-4 loss at No. 17 Arizona State at Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Wednesday night. The Sooners evened out at 3-3 on the season, while the Sun Devils improved to 3-1.

Leading 4-2, junior right-hander Ralph Garza Jr. (New Braunfels, Texas) was cruising in his third inning of relief in the bottom of the seventh with two out and a runner on first via an infield single. Another base hit put two on and then ASU trimmed the lead to one with a pop-up double in right by right fielder Trevor Allen. The Sun Devils soon claimed their first lead of the night at 5-4 with a two-run, two-out, full-count double to left by shortstop Colby Woodmansee. Arizona State added two more runs as it batted around in the seventh.

Oklahoma jumped on a costly ASU mistake with two out in the third inning. Redshirt-senior right fielder Taylor Alspaugh (Broken Arrow, Okla.) led off with a single, but was erased on a fielder's choice and junior center fielder Craig Aikin (Coppell, Texas) reached on an error. Sophomore shortstop Sheldon Neuse (Fort Worth, Texas) approached the plate and sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in left for a three-run home run.

The Sun Devils chipped into the OU lead with a run in the bottom of the third and fourth frames. Senior left-handed starter Jeffrey Curran (Long Beach, Calif.) was chased after allowing a lead-off single in the fifth. He matched a career-high four innings, while scattering eight hits and giving up two runs, one earned, with one walk and three strikeouts.

Narrowly leading 3-2, junior second baseman Kolbey Carpenter (Waco, Texas) led off the top of the seventh with a double down the left field line on the first pitch of the inning. He moved to third on a passed ball and scored on an Alspaugh sacrifice-fly.

Right-hander Seth Martinez lasted six innings in the start for ASU. He surrendered three unearned runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out five. In just 0.2 innings of relief, RHP Tucker Baca (1-0) earned the win. Fellow righty, Ryan Burr locked down his second save of the season by allowing just one hit in the ninth.

Garza (0-1) took the loss for the Sooners in 2.2 innings of relief. He gave up four runs on five hits and two strikeouts.

Oklahoma opens the Big 12/Pac-12 Challenge Thursday at 5:30 pm CT against Washington State in Mesa, Ariz.